Method for forming special insert for advertising brochures, magazines and the like

ABSTRACT

A magazine insert and method for forming same, the insert being in the form of a twelve-page signature with a maximum spread of four fold-out pages. The method includes the step of forming a first fold at approximately one-third the distance from one edge of a printed sheet, after which the once-folded sheet is folded over itself along a central fold line. The twice-folded sheet is thereafter folded along a central vertical fold line and then sliced along one horizontal edge.

United States Patent 1 Kebba [451 Feb. 18,1975

[ METHOD FOR FORMING SPECIAL INSERT FOR ADVERTISING BROCHURES, MAGAZINESAND THE LIKE [76] Inventor: John J. Kebba, 1270 Avenue of the Americas,New York, NY. 10020 [22] Filed: Aug. 15, 1973 21 Appl. No.: 388,355

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No.220,583, Jan. 25,

1972, abandoned.

[52] US. Cl 270/5, 270/8, 270/32, 270/37, 270/53.

[51] Int. Cl 1341f 13/58 [58] Field of Search 270/5, 32, 8, 37, 53, 61,270/62; 281/38; 93/84 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS2,316,786 Gottlieb 35/40 2,631,845 3/1953 Zuckerman 270/5 2,914,31311/1959 McGarvey 270/32 3.697.061 10/1972 Levine 270/5 PrimaryExaminer-Robert W. Michell Assistant Examiner-A. Heinz Attorney, Agent,or FirmSandoe, Hopgood & Calimafde [57] ABSTRACT A magazine insert andmethod for forming same, the insert being in the form of a twelve-pagesignature with a maximum spread of four fold-out pages. The methodincludes the step of forming a first fold at approximately one-third thedistance from one edge of a printed sheet, after which the once-foldedsheet is folded over itself along a central fold line. The twicefoldedsheet is thereafter folded along a central vertical fold line and thensliced along one horizontal edge.

1 Claim, 8 Drawing Figures 1 METHOD FOR FORMING SPECIAL INSERT FORADVERTISING BROCHURES, MAGAZINES AND THE LIKE This application is acontinuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 220,583, filed on Jan. 25,1972 and now abandoned.

The present invention relates to inserts, and more particularly, to amethod for forming a fold-out advertising insert such as for insertionin a magazine.

In recent years the use of inserts in magazines, particularly foradvertising purposes, has become widespread, since the material depictedin the insert is readily distinguishable from that in the remainder ofthe magazine and is thus better able to attract the attention of thereader, a prime consideration for advertisers. Most inserts, to furtherenhance their ability to present the advertisers message, are of thefold-out type, such that an increased area can be provided for thedisplay of the advertisers message.

Heretofore, 12 page inserts have been made available to advertisers.These inserts, however, can only be formed by a relatively complex andcostly process that requires at least two runs of the web or sheetthrough the printing press, as well as two separate folding operations.Thereafter, the two thus-formed six-page signatures are collected andstitched together to form the complete 12 page insert.

In addition, in the known method for forming 12 page inserts, thecontiguous pages of the finished insert are not printed on the same sideof the sheet, so that care must be taken during the printing andassembly operations to ensure proper color matching in the completedinsert. In addition, the double gate 12 page inserts formed according toconventional methods can be secured only to the center of the magazinein which they are inserted, and the flexibility of the use of the insertis thus limited. As a result of the cost and time required to form 12page inserts according to the known methods, the use of such inserts hasheretofore been limited to advertisers who have sufficient funds fortheir production and printing. Other advertisers lacking such funds havehad to reluctantly forego the use of these inserts.

It is a general object of the invention to provide an improved methodfor forming a magazine insert which obviates the aforesaid disadvantagesof the known insert-forming techniques.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved methodfor forming an insert of the type described which requires only one passof the web or sheet through the press. 1

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved method offorming a full-color, fold-out insert of the type described in which allcontiguous pages on the completed insert are printed on the same side ofthe web so that color matching problems are avoided.

It is a general object of the invention to provide a method for forminga full-color fold-out insert of the type described in a manner which isquicker and less costly than any method heretofore known or employed.

In accordance with this invention, a 12 page fold-out insert is formedby a novel folding sequence. The insert can be printed and formed by asingle pass of the web or sheet through a conventional printing andfolding equipment, the latter being adapted to perform the novel foldingand insert forming sequence. l-leretofore,

the formation of an insert of this type required the formation andprinting of two separate signatures which are thereafter joined to formthe completed insert.

The folding sequence according to the invention is basically athree-step folding operation; the first step includes the folding of theweb on itself along a vertical fold line arranged at a distance inwardfrom one edge of the sheet that is less than one-third the width of thesheet. The thus-folded sheet is thereafter folded over itself along acentral horizontal fold line after which the opposite edge of the thustwice-folded sheet is folded over along a central fold line. The thusthree times folded sheet is stapled and stitched along the lastmentionedvertical fold line and the folding sheet is trimmed along one of itshorizontal edges. The resulting insert has the desirable features setforth above.

To the accomplishment of the above and to such further objects as mayhereinafter appear, the present invention relates to a method forforming a special insert for advertising brochures, magazines and thelike substantially as defined in the appended claims and as described inthe following specification taken together with the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a typical printing and apparatus foruse in the practice of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a sheet prior to the folding sequence of theinvention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view, illustrating the first fold in the foldingsequence;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the next fold in the foldingsequence;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the next step in the foldingsequence;

FIG. 6 is an elevation illustrating the edge trimming step in the insertforming sequence;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the unfolded completed insert; and

FIG. 8 is an elevation of the completed insert in the folded position.

The apparatus employed in the practice of the method of forming aninsert in accordance with the invention is shown schematically inFIG, 1. As therein shown a quantity of paper is arranged on a roll 10.One end of the paper sheet is taken off the roll and is passed through aseries of four-color printing units shown at 12 which print on the lowerand upper surfaces of the web in a known manner. The printed web is thenpassed through an oven 14 and through a series of cooling rollers 16 andthence to a folder 18 in which the printed web is formed into a 12 pageinsert by the method of the invention.

All of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is conventional and well known tothose engaged in the printing art. The insert-forming method of theinvention is carried out in folder 18 which may be any commerciallyavailable folder such as a web-press former and jaw folder, theconventional operation of which is modified as hereinafter described toperform the method. The construction of the former and folder iswell-known and is thus not further disclosed in detail herein.

The insert-forming method of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 2-6,the completed insert being shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 in the open orunfolded and closed or folded condition, respectively. FIG. 2illustrates a blank, to wit, unprinted web or sheet 20 prior to thefolding operation, it being understood that in an actual foldingsequence performed as herein described, both the upper and lowersurfaces of the sheet would have color printing material formed thereon.

In the first step in the folding sequence, as shown in FIG. 3, sheet 20is folded over itself along a vertical fold line 22, located at adistance less than one-third the width from the left-hand edge of thesheet (as viewed in FIG. 3). As shown, fold line 22 is locatedapproximately one-third of the distance inwardly from the left-hand edgeof the sheet such that a folded portion 24 overlies approximatelyone-half of the remainder 26 of the sheet. Thereafter, as shown in FIG.4, the oncefolded sheet is again folded over itself along a centralhorizontal line 28 so that the upper section of the folded sheetoverlies the lower section of the sheet.

The folded sheet of FIG. 4 is thereafter again folded, as shown in FIG.5, along a vertical line 30 formed approximately at the middle of thepreviously folded sheet in the direction of the arrow 31. The thusfolded sheet is then stapled or stitched along line 30 as indicated bystaples 32. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 6, the folded sheet of FIG. issliced along its upper and lower edges as shown in FIG. 6, the upperedge corresponding to the fold line 28, to complete the formation of theinsert having an upper edge 28a.

The completed insert includes twelve pages including two two-pagefold-outs 34 and 36 which, as shown in FIG. 7, can be unfolded to createa four-page spread. Interestingly, the center fold line of each two-pagefoldout is the single vertical fold line 22 formed in the first foldingstep of the invention shown in FIG. 3. The use of the four-page displayas well as the other eight pages permits the advertiser greatflexibility in the manner of presenting his message, as well asattracting the readers attention by the use of the maximum spread of thefour-page fold-out.

Significantly, the entire insert of FIG. 7 can be formed by a singlepass through the printer and folder of FIG. 1, and contiguous areas onthe finished insert are printed on the same surface of the unfoldedsheet, thus simplifying the printing operation by avoiding the problemof color matching on both surfaces of the sheet.

When the folding process of the invention is carried out with a webpress, the folding operations depicted in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 areadvantageously and respectively performed on a former folder, a tabloidor jaw folder, and a chopper folder which are incorporated in the folderdesignated 18 in FIG. 1. These types of folders are known in theprinting art and are manufactured, for

example, by the American Type Founders Corporation and theHarris-Cottrell Corporation. The first folding sequence in which theone-third fold is formed is performed in the former folder. In theconventional use of these devices, the web or sheet is fed in orinserted into the center of the folder such that the initial fold isformed along the center line of the sheet. To form the one-third fold,the sheet is inserted off-center and toward the work side of the press.When the web is inserted into the former folder in this manner and isproperly dimensioned and positioned, the initial fold is formed in theweb less than one-third from the edge of the web as desired. Thesubsequent folds of the method are performed in a jaw folder and achopper folder in a conventional manner.

When the method if practiced in conjunction with a sheet fed press, thefolding operations described in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 are advantageouslyperformed in a buckle folder such as that manufactured by the BaumFolder Corporation.

Several modifications to the invention described hereinabove can be madedepending on the intended end use of the completed insert. For example,instead of completing the final fold of FIG. 5 so that the edges fallflush with one another, the fold may be effected somewhat less than tothe edge to thereby leave a vertical border that extends beyond thefolded-over fourpage fold-out.

In addition, the two end pages of the four-page foldout, shown best inFIG. 7, can be formed as a plurality of detachable reply cards for usein permitting the reader to respond to the advertising materialcontained in the remainder of the insert. In this manner, the removal ofthe reply cards does not in any'manner destroy the advertising material.

The completed insert may be advantageously used in a magazine in whichcase the stitching of the edge as in FIG. 5 is performed simultaneouslywith the stitching of the magazine. The signature formed according tothe invention may also be employed to advantage as a freestandingsignature and additional conventionally formed signatures may be addedto the signature formed by the invention to provide additional pages.

Thus, while only a single embodiment of the invention has been hereinspecifically disclosed, it will be apparent that modifications may bemade therein all without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention.

I claim:

1. A method for forming a l2-page double gate insert of the typesuitable for advertising, said method comprising the steps of (a)providing a sheet having printed material on at least one surfacethereof, (b) in a folding machine, folding one edge of said sheet over afirst fold line formed at a distance from said one edge that is lessthan or equal to one-third the width of said sheet, (c) thereafterfolding in said machine said once-folded sheet over itself along asecond central fold line perpendicular to said first fold line, (d)thereafter folding in said machine said twice-folded sheet along acentrally formed third fold line parallel to said first fold line, (e)thereafter applying securing means along said centrally formed thirdfold line while leaving said one edge unfastened to any other portion ofsaid thricefolded sheet, and (f) thereafter cutting said thus-foldedsheet along at least said second central fold line.

1. A method for forming a 12-page double gate insert of the type suitable for advertising, said method comprising the steps of (a) providing a sheet having printed material on at least one surface thereof, (b) in a folding machine, folding one edge of said sheet over a first fold line formed at a distance from said one edge that is less than or equal to one-third the width of said sheet, (c) thereafter folding in said machine said once-folded sheet over itself along a second central fold line perpendicular to said first fold line, (d) thereafter folding in said machine said twice-folded sheet along a centrally formed third fold line parallel to said first fold line, (e) thereafter applying securing means along said centrally formed third fold line while leaving said one edge unfastened to any other portion of said thrice-folded sheet, and (f) thereafter cutting said thus-folded sheet along at least said second central fold line. 